Texas Gulf Coast Council of Diving Clubs
Political Affairs
One of the purposes and objectives of TGCC, as specified in the TGCC Constitution, is to "defend and advance the legal rights and privileges of all divers through appropriate state and federal legislation". The TGCC 2nd Vice President normally handles these issues. You as a diver can help by keeping informed on relevant issues and expressing your concerns to the relevant authorities. We invite your input on these and other issues.
Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
The agency with the most direct impact on Texas divers is the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department (TPWD). Of special interest to TGCC is the Artificial Reef Fund. TPWD funding and accounting of the Artificial Reef Fund (ARF) has been a concern of our member dive clubs for some time now. Our concern is ensuring that the monies allocated for artificial reefs are being used wisely towards that purpose. Therefore, we have been politically active both publicly and behind the scenes to seek a full accounting of these funds. We will keep you update on this issue and continue to encourage you to write letters and petitions to both elected and appointed representatives.
 
  • December 2008 written testimony from Dana Larson to the Sunset Advisory Commission outlining historical failures of TPWD to spend and account for designated funds properly, and requesting that TPWD be put on probation.
  • December 2008 testimony from George Clark to the Sunset Advisory Commission outlining historical failures of TPWD to spend and account for designated funds properly, and requesting that TPWD be put on probation.
  • November 2008 letter from Dana Larson to Mr. Holt, chairman of Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission, requesting the department restore the deleted website that documented the 2000 Sunset Agency Commission's findings and recommendations that TPWD actively create artificial reefs.

  • July 2008 letter from Dana Larson to Mr. Brudnicki, publisher of Texas Parks and Wildlife Magazine, concerning misinformation in its July 2008 article titled "Underwater Oasis".

  • Letter from George Clark to to the Senate Finance Committee and Senate Natural Resources Committee requesting a full accounting from TPWD of both the Sports Fish Restoration Act (SFRA) and the Artificial Reef Fund (ARF) for the past 5 years.

  • Artificial Reefs in Texas - let TPWD know!!!! We need the Houston dive community’s support to lobby the Texas Parks & Wildlife department in an attempt to get an artificial reef in the Houston/Galveston area.

  • April 2007 Houston Chronicle article that outlines how state parks are funded and notes that the state legislature is expected to increase state park funding soon. It also describes a scathing report recently released by the state auditor on how TPWD manages it's finances.